Kunjananthan remains elusive

KOZHIKODE: Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of CPM Panoor area committee member P K Kunjananthan even as the Special Investigation Team probing the murder of T P Chandrasekharan has issued a look-out circular. Party leaders in Kannur are giving contradictory statements about the whereabouts of Kunjananthan and the reason for his disappearance. Asked about the issue, CPM Panoor area secretary Pavithran Master said the party was also searching for Kunjananthan for the past four days, while CPM district secretary P Jayarajan feigned ignorance of such an inquiry and said it was an internal matter of the party.  Meanwhile, another member of CPM Panoor area committee said the party was not conducting any inquiry. Responding to the issue,  Pavithran Master told Express that Kunjananthan had not applied for leave. “For the past three to four days, we are also searching for Kunjananthan,” he said on Monday.  However, CPM Kannur secretary P Jayarajan downplayed the issue and maintained that these were internal matters of the party. “Details of leave applications of leaders are internal matters and cannot be divulged to people outside. It’s not a matter for publication in a newspaper. I was really busy but attended the call thinking that there might be some serious matter. If you have any other serious queries regarding the party, please contact later,” Jayarajan signed off. When the Panoor area committee office was contacted, one member said, “Kunjananthan might have absconded after seeing media reports about his alleged role in connection with the case. He went missing after attending the protest meeting organised by the LDF in connection with the Betrayal Day observance on the occasion of the first anniversary of the UDF government,” he said but refused to disclose the name and introduced himself as a ‘key member’ of the CPM in Panoor area.   According to police, Kunjananthan, 62, hailing from Parat within the limits of Kolavalloor police station in Kannur, rubbed shoulders with CPM top leaders. In his capacity as a party liaison man, Kunjananthan was a regular visitor at police stations in Panoor, Kolavalloor, Chokli, Koothuparamba, Thalassery, Edakkad, Palloor and Nadapuram. SIT issued a lookout circular on May 21 against Kunjananthan for his alleged involvement in the TP Murder case.